HLG fully respects the disruption and suffering caused by the present public emergency. We believe that a good (if not the only) way through is with a positive attitude and outlook. This moment provides an opportunity to review some recent achievements that were not broadcast over our recent months of intense trials and other case work. We might be momentarily pausing, but we are not lying down!
In December 2019, we were honored by Santa Barbara Women Lawyers with its first annual “Female-friendly Law Firm” award. The recognition took into account a wide variety of our policies and practices, as well as our general treatment and respect for our female professionals and staff. The vetting process — including reviews of our hiring history, compensation and benefits packages and employee handbook, and discussions with our attorneys — was most thorough! As I was in a month-long custody trial (with Ruston and Taylor), our Executive Director, Erin Schaden, gratefully accepted for the firm.
Formed in 1998, SBWL is a nonprofit organization that promotes the diverse interests of women lawyers in Santa Barbara. Through its continuing legal education, evaluation of applicants for judicial office, mentoring and other programs, SBWL strives to positively impact new attorneys, law students, and prospective legal scholars while examining the problems of and proposing solutions to the internal and external factors that inhibit women in their quest for social and professional equality. SBWL serves the entire community, coordinating and maintaining liaisons with other professional and women’s organizations.
Paraphrasing one of my favorite thinkers, Seth Godin, HLG proudly operates under the following principles and understandings:
- We will never regret offering opportunities and dignity.
- HLG is nothing but people, and every day we get a chance to become better versions of ourselves.
- We advance toward the above in substantial part through a commitment to gender equality.
The lesson of diversity is a simple and compelling one that has been demonstrated over and over again. Diverse populations solve problems better and faster than homogenous ones. We know that achieving diversity is the right thing to do. It is also the smart thing.
Together, we can create something better. And so we continue to pursue gender and all other types of diversity at this unfinished project that is HLG.